Local Government Jobs

Legal and Insurance Services provides the full range of legal advice and representation required by the Council. This post is one of four principal child care lawyers (3.6 FTE) overall managing a team of 16.2 staff including three paralegals/legal assistants. The child care team are part of the Children, Adults and Education Group of Legal Services. The Department is Lexcel and IIP accredited, and the position is based at County Hall, Kingston upon Thames.

Managing a group of lawyers who deal with the challenging and sensitive area of children’s legal work, you’ll also have your own caseload of the more complex cases in the team. As a key member of our Management Team, you’ll also help to drive the continuous improvement of our legal service and provide advice to senior managers on potentially high profile matters.

A Solicitor, Barrister or FILEX qualified – with significant and recent experience of child care public law work, preferably in a local authority – you will also be used to doing advocacy on a regular basis including contested hearings and will have a proven ability to supervise other legal staff.

For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Allan Wells on 020 8541 9173.

If you are having problems with the website or if you need to request an application form by post, please call 020 8541 9000 (Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm), or alternatively email:

Interview date: 28 July 2009.

Surrey County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Surrey County Council particularly welcomes applications from under represented groups including ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.